Hydrocyanation process with reduced yield losses

ABSTRACT

A hydrocyanation process produces adiponitrile and other dinitriles having six carbon atoms. The process involves forming a reaction mixture in the presence of at least one Lewis acid. The reaction mixture includes ethylenically unsaturated nitriles having five carbon atoms, hydrogen cyanide, and a catalyst precursor composition. The reaction mixture is continuously fed while controlling the overall feed molar ratio of 2-pentenenitriles to all unsaturated nitriles and the overall feed molar ratio of hydrogen cyanide to all unsaturated nitriles. In the reaction product mixture, including adiponitrile, the ratio of the concentration of 2-pentenenitriles to the concentration of 3-pentenenitriles is from about 0.2/1 to about 10/1. Included in the catalyst precursor composition is a zero-valent nickel and at least one bidentate phosphite ligand.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit of priority from Provisional Application No. 60/830,865, filed Jul. 14, 2006. This application hereby incorporates by reference Provisional Application No. 60/830,865 in its entirety. This application relates to commonly-assigned applications filed concurrently on Jul. 12, 2007 as Ser. Nos. 11/776,904, 11/766,922, 11/776,932, 11/776,968.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present process is directed to the hydrocyanation of ethylenically unsaturated nitrites having five carbon atoms to produce adiponitrile (ADN) and other dinitriles. More particularly, this invention relates to a process for the hydrocyanation of 3-pentenenitriles (3PN) and/or 4-pentenenitrile (4PN), and optionally 2-pentenenitriles (2PN), using a catalyst precursor composition comprising a zero-valent nickel and at least one bidentate phosphite ligand in the presence of at least one Lewis acid promoter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Hydrocyanation catalyst systems, particularly pertaining to the hydrocyanation of ethylenically unsaturated compounds, have been described. For example, systems useful for the hydrocyanation of 1,3-butadiene (BD) to form pentenenitrile (PN) isomers and in the subsequent hydrocyanation of pentenenitriles to form adiponitrile (ADN) are known in the commercially important nylon synthesis field.

1. Improvements in the zero-valent nickel catalyzed hydrocyanation of ethylenically unsaturated compounds with the use of certain multidentate phosphite ligands are also disclosed. Such improvements are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,821,378; 5,981,772; 6,020,516; and 6,284,865.

The hydrocyanation of activated ethylenically unsaturated compounds, such as with conjugated ethylenically unsaturated compounds (e.g., BD and styrene), and strained ethylenically unsaturated compounds (e.g., norbornene) proceed at useful rates without the use of a Lewis acid promoter. However, hydrocyanation of unactivated, ethylenically unsaturated compounds, such as 1-octene and 3PN, requires the use of a Lewis acid promoter to obtain industrially useful rates and yields for the production of linear nitriles, such as n-octyl cyanide and ADN, respectively.

The use of a promoter in the hydrocyanation reaction is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,496,217. This patent discloses an improvement in hydrocyanation using a promoter selected from a large number of metal cation compounds as nickel catalyst promoters with a wide variety of counterions. U.S. Pat. No. 3,496,218 discloses a nickel hydrocyanation catalyst promoted with various boron-containing compounds, including triphenylboron and alkali metal borohydrides. U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,353 discloses a process for the preparation of dinitriles, including ADN, from unsaturated nitriles, including pentenenitriles, in the presence of a zero-valent nickel catalyst and a triorganotin promoter. Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,884 discloses a process for producing ADN by the zero-valent nickel catalyzed hydrocyanation of pentenenitriles in the presence of a synergistic combination of promoters selected in accordance with the desired reaction kinetics of the ADN synthesis. Furthermore, the use of Lewis acids to promote the hydrocyanation of pentenenitriles to produce ADN using zero-valent nickel catalysts with multidentate phosphite ligands is also disclosed. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,512,696; 5,723,641; 5,959,135; 6,127,567; and 6,646,148.

It is reported in the prior art that, concomitant with the hydrocyanation of 3PN and 4PN to produce ADN, some isomerization of 3PN to cis- and trans-2PN can occur. However, in the process of hydrocyanating 3PN and 4PN using nickel catalysts derived from monodentate phosphite ligands, such as Ni[P(OC₆H₅)₃]₄, U.S. Pat. No. 3,564,040 states that the presence of cis- or trans-2PN, even in low concentrations, is detrimental to catalyst efficiency and the production of 2PN is undesirable since they constitute a yield loss as well as a poison for the catalyst.

In order to address this issue, U.S. Pat. No. 3,564,040 describes a method to maintain the steady-state concentration of 2PN below 5 mole percent as based on the nitriles present in the reaction mixture. Because trans-2PN is difficult to separate from a mixture of 3PN and 4PN by distillation due to their close relative volatilities, the disclosed method involves the catalytic isomerization of trans-2PN to cis-2PN followed by fractional distillation of the mixture of pentenenitrile isomers to remove the more volatile cis-2PN isomer. The catalyst systems used to isomerize trans-2PN to cis-2PN are those that also serve to hydrocyanate pentenenitriles to ADN, in particular, nickel catalysts derived from monodentate phosphite ligands as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,496,217 and 3,496,218.

Alternative catalyst systems for the isomerization of trans-2PN to cis-2PN are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,852,325 and 3,852,327. The primary advantage of the catalyst systems described therein is in avoiding appreciable carbon-carbon double bond migration in the pentenenitrile isomers, which allows for the isomerization of trans-2PN to cis-2PN without substantial further isomerization of the 3PN to 2PN. The catalysts described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,852,325 are compounds of the general formula R₃C—X, such as triphenylmethyl bromide, wherein R is an aryl radical having up to 18 carbon atoms and —X is of the group consisting of —H, —Cl, —Br, —I, —SH, —B(C₆H₅)₄, —PF₆, —AsF₆, —SbF₆ and —BF₄, while the catalyst systems described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,852,327 are Lewis acid/Lewis base compositions, such as combinations of zinc chloride with triphenylphosphine.

A different method of removing the 2PN from mixtures of pentenenitrile isomers containing 3PN and 4PN is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,865,865. The 2PN and/or 2-methyl-2-butenenitriles (2M2BN) can be selectively separated from a mixture of pentenenitrile isomers containing 3PN and 4PN by contacting the mixture of nitriles with an aqueous solution of a treating agent comprising sulfite and bisulfite ions and ammonium or alkali metal cations to produce an aqueous phase containing the bisulfite adduct of the 2PN and/or 2M2BN and an organic phase containing the 3PN and 4PN, substantially free of 2PN and 2M2BN. The recovered organic phase can provide a feed material of pentenenitriles for further hydrocyanation to produce ADN with greatly reduced amounts of the undesired by-product 2PN that is detrimental to catalyst efficiency.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,127,567 discloses nickel catalyst precursor compositions derived from bidentate phosphite ligands and processes for the hydrocyanation of monoethylenically unsaturated compounds which are more rapid, selective, efficient, and stable than prior processes using nickel catalysts derived from monodentate phosphites. U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,986 discloses that at least one member of this class of catalysts is capable of hydrocyanating olefins conjugated to nitrites, for example 2PN. The present invention provides novel processes for the hydrocyanation of pentenenitriles to produce dinitriles, in particular ADN, using certain catalyst precursor compositions described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,127,567. Such processes can overcome the detrimental effect of 2PN on catalyst efficiency and can greatly reduce or eliminate yield losses to 2PN in the pentenenitrile hydrocyanation reaction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a first aspect, the present invention provides a hydrocyanation process to produce adiponitrile and other dinitriles having six carbon atoms, the process comprising: a) forming a reaction mixture in the presence of at least one Lewis acid, said reaction mixture comprising ethylenically unsaturated nitrites having five carbon atoms, hydrogen cyanide (HCN), and a catalyst precursor composition, by continuously feeding the unsaturated nitriles, the hydrogen cyanide, and the catalyst precursor composition; b) controlling X and Z, wherein X is the overall feed molar ratio of 2-pentenenitriles to all unsaturated nitrites; and Z is the overall feed molar ratio of hydrogen cyanide to all unsaturated nitrites; by selecting a value for X in the range from about 0.001 to about 0.5; and a value for Z in the range of about 0.5 to about 0.99; such that the value of quotient Q, wherein

$Q = \frac{X}{\left. \mspace{79mu}{\left\lbrack {{\left( {{{moles}\mspace{14mu} 3{PN}} + {4{PN}\mspace{14mu}{in}\mspace{14mu}{the}\mspace{14mu}{feed}}} \right)/\mspace{11mu}{moles}}\mspace{14mu}{all}\mspace{14mu}{unsaturated}\mspace{14mu}{nitriles}\mspace{14mu}{in}\mspace{14mu}{the}\mspace{14mu}{feed}} \right) - Z} \right\rbrack\mspace{11mu}}$ is in the range from about 0.2 to about 10, wherein 3PN is 3-pentenenitriles and 4PN is 4-pentenenitrile; and c) withdrawing a reaction product mixture comprising adiponitrile; wherein the ratio of the concentration of 2-pentenenitriles to the concentration of 3-pentenenitriles in the reaction mixture is in the range of about 0.2/1 to about 10/1; wherein the catalyst precursor composition comprises a zero-valent nickel and at least one bidentate phosphite ligand, wherein the bidentate phosphite ligand is selected from a member of the group represented by Formulas I and II, in which all like reference characters have the same meaning, except as further explicitly limited:

wherein

each R¹ is independently selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, and primary hydrocarbyl of 3 to 6 carbon atoms;

each R² is independently selected from the group consisting of primary and secondary hydrocarbyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms; and

each R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R²¹, R²², and R²³ is independently selected from the group consisting of H, aryl, and a primary, secondary, or tertiary hydrocarbyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms.

Another aspect of the present invention is the process wherein the selected value for X is in the range from about 0.01 to about 0.25, and the selected value of Z is in the range from about 0.70 to about 0.99; and wherein the value of Q is in the range from about 1 to about 5; and wherein the ratio of the concentration of 2-pentenenitriles to the concentration of 3-pentenenitriles in the reaction mixture is from about 1/1 to about 5/1.

Another aspect of the present invention is the process wherein the overall feed molar ratio of 2-pentenenitriles to all unsaturated nitriles is controlled by addition of 2-pentenenitriles produced in an independent process or by direct recycle of the 2-pentenenitriles from the reaction product mixtures within the process.

Another aspect of the present invention is the process wherein the 2-pentenenitriles originate from a pentenenitrile hydrocyanation process.

Another aspect of the present invention is the process wherein the 3-pentenenitriles originate from a 1,3-butadiene hydrocyanation process.

Another aspect of the present invention is the process wherein the catalyst precursor composition further comprises at least one monodentate phosphite ligand.

Another aspect of the present invention is the process wherein the reaction product mixture with a pentenenitrile to dinitrile molar ratio from about 0.01 to about 2.5 is fed to a liquid-liquid extraction process.

Another aspect of the present invention is the process wherein the 2-pentenenitriles originate from distillation of an extract, a raffinate, or extract and raffinate phases of a liquid-liquid extraction process.

Another aspect of the present invention is the process wherein the at least one bidentate phosphite ligand is selected from a member of the group consisting of:

the compound represented by Formula I where

-   -   each R¹=methyl, each R²=iso-propyl,     -   each R¹¹═H, each R¹²═H, each R¹³═H,     -   each R²¹H, each R²²=methyl, and each R²³=methyl;

the compound represented by Formula I where

-   -   each R¹=methyl, each R²=iso-propyl,     -   each R¹¹═H, each R¹²=methyl, each R¹³═H,     -   each R²¹═H, each R²²=methyl, and each R²³=methyl;

the compound represented by Formula I where

-   -   each R¹=methyl, each R²=iso-propyl,     -   each R¹¹═H, each R¹²═H, each R¹³=methyl     -   each R²¹═H, each R²²=methyl, and each R²³=methyl;

the compound represented by Formula II where

-   -   each R¹=methyl, each R²=iso-propyl,     -   each R¹¹═H, each R¹²═H, and each R¹³═H;

the compound represented by Formula II where

-   -   each R¹=methyl, each R²=iso-propyl,     -   each R¹¹═H, each R¹²=methyl, and each R¹³═H;

the compound represented by Formula II where

-   -   each R¹=methyl, each R²=iso-propyl,     -   each R¹¹═H, each R¹²═H, and each R¹³=methyl;

the compound represented by Formula I where

-   -   each R¹=methyl, each R²=methyl,     -   each R¹¹═H, each R¹²═H, each R¹³═H,     -   each R²¹═H, each R²²=methyl, and each R²³=methyl;

the compound represented by Formula I where

-   -   each R¹=methyl, each R²=methyl,     -   each R¹¹═H, each R¹²=methyl, each R¹³═H,     -   each R²¹═H, each R²²=methyl, and each R²³=methyl;

the compound represented by Formula I where

-   -   each R¹=methyl, each R²=methyl,     -   each R¹¹═H, each R¹²═H, each R¹³=methyl,     -   each R²¹═H, each R²²=methyl, and each R²³=methyl;

the compound represented by Formula I where

-   -   each R¹=methyl, each R²=methyl,     -   each R¹¹═H, each R¹²═H, each R¹³═H,     -   each R²¹=methyl, each R²²=methyl, and each R²³=methyl;

the compound represented by Formula I where

-   -   each R¹=methyl, each R²=methyl,     -   each R¹¹═H, each R¹²=methyl, each R¹³═H,     -   each R²¹=methyl, each R²²=methyl, and each R²³=methyl;

the compound represented by Formula I where

-   -   each R¹=methyl, each R²=methyl,     -   each R¹¹═H, each R¹²═H, each R¹³=methyl,     -   each R²¹=methyl, each R²²=methyl, and each R²³=methyl;

the compound represented by Formula II where

-   -   each R¹=methyl, each R²=cyclopentyl,     -   each R¹¹═H, each R¹²═H, and each R¹³═H;

the compound represented by Formula II where

-   -   each R¹=methyl, each R²=cyclopentyl,     -   each R¹¹═H, each R¹²=methyl, and each R¹³═H;

the compound represented by Formula II where

-   -   each R¹=methyl, each R²=cyclopentyl,     -   each R¹¹═H, each R¹²═H, and each R¹³=methyl;

the compound represented by Formula I where

-   -   each R¹=ethyl, each R²=iso-propyl,     -   each R¹¹═H, each R¹²═H, each R¹³═H,     -   each R²¹═H, each R²²=methyl, and each R²³=methyl; and

the compound represented by Formula I where

-   -   each R¹=methyl, each R²=iso-propyl,     -   each R¹¹═H, each R¹²=tert-butyl, each R¹³═H     -   each R²¹═H, each R²²=methyl, and each R²³=methyl.

Another aspect of the present invention is the process wherein the Lewis acid promoter comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of zinc chloride, iron (II) chloride, manganese (II) chloride, and mixtures thereof.

Another aspect of the present invention is the process wherein the temperature of the reaction mixture is maintained from about 20° C. to about 90° C.

Another aspect of the present invention is the process wherein the temperature of the reaction mixture is maintained from about 35° C. to about 70° C.

Another aspect of the invention is the process wherein at least one bidentate phosphite ligand is selected from a member of the group consisting of:

the compound represented by Formula I where

-   -   each R¹=methyl, each R²=iso-propyl,     -   each R¹¹═H, each R¹²═H, each R¹³═H,     -   each R²¹═H, each R²²=methyl, and each R²³=methyl;

the compound represented by Formula I where

-   -   each R¹=methyl, each R²=iso-propyl,     -   each R¹¹═H, each R¹²=methyl, each R¹³═H,     -   each R²¹═H, each R²²=methyl, and each R²³=methyl; and

the compound represented by Formula II where

-   -   each R¹=methyl, each R²=iso-propyl,     -   each R¹¹═H, each R¹²═H, and each R¹³═H.

By utilizing the above catalyst precursor compositions, it has now been found that, in the hydrocyanation reaction of ethylenically unsaturated nitriles having five carbon atoms to produce ADN and other dinitriles having six carbon atoms, the yield losses due to the concurrent production of 2PN from 3PN can be reduced or eliminated through the control of the ratio of the concentration of 2PN to the concentration of 3PN, in the reaction mixture, from about 0.2/1 to about 10/1.

Control of the ratio of the concentration of 2PN to the concentration of 3PN in the reaction mixture can be achieved by both controlling “X”, the overall feed molar ratio of 2PN to all unsaturated nitriles, and controlling “Z”, the overall feed molar ratio of HCN to all unsaturated nitriles. X and Z can be controlled by selecting a value for X in the range from about 0.001 to about 0.5 and by selecting a value for Z in the range from about 0.5 to about 0.99, such that the value of quotient Q, wherein

$Q = \frac{X}{\left. \mspace{79mu}{\left\lbrack {{\left( {{{moles}\mspace{14mu} 3{PN}} + {4{PN}\mspace{14mu}{in}\mspace{14mu}{the}\mspace{14mu}{feed}}} \right)/\mspace{11mu}{moles}}\mspace{14mu}{all}\mspace{14mu}{unsaturated}\mspace{14mu}{nitriles}\mspace{14mu}{in}\mspace{14mu}{the}\mspace{14mu}{feed}} \right) - Z}\; \right\rbrack\;}$ is in the range from about 0.2 to about 10, wherein 3PN is 3-pentenenitriles and 4PN is 4-pentenenitrile. When the ratio of the concentration of 2PN to the concentration of 3PN in the reaction mixture is controlled from about 1/1 to about 5/1, for example, X and Z can be controlled by selecting a value for X in the range from about 0.01 to about 0.25 and by selecting a value for Z in the range from about 0.70 to about 0.99, such that the value of the quotient Q is in the range from about 1 to about 5.

Such novel pentenenitrile hydrocyanation processes to produce ADN can overcome the prior art limitations of maintaining the steady-state concentrations of 2PN below 5 mole percent (based on the nitriles present in the reaction mixture) by employing the above catalyst precursor compositions, which can be expected to be more rapid, selective, efficient, and stable than prior catalyst derived from monodentate phosphite ligands used in the hydrocyanation of monoethylenically unsaturated compounds. Advantageously, a single zero-valent nickel catalyst system and far less process equipment can be utilized for conversion of 2PN to the valuable products 3PN, 4PN, and ADN. The process of the present invention also allows for control of the overall feed molar ratio of 2PN to all unsaturated nitrites by direct recycle of the 2PN from the reaction product mixture within the process or by addition of 2PN produced in an independent process. Potential advantages of such a process can include the elimination of investment for a cis-2PN distillation column (see column 8 in the drawing for U.S. Pat. No. 3,564,040 wherein stream 9 from column 5 is fed directly to the pentenenitrile hydrocyanation reactor 2) and of the associated variable and fixed costs for operating said column.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a process for the hydrocyanation of ethylenically unsaturated nitrites having five carbon atoms to produce ADN and other dinitriles having six carbon atoms. ADN is of particular interest because it is a commercially versatile and important intermediate in the industrial production of nylon polyamides useful in forming films, fibers and molded articles.

As used herein, the term “ethylenically unsaturated nitriles having five carbon atoms” means pentenenitriles and methylbutenenitriles. As used herein, the term “unsaturated nitrites” also means pentenenitriles and methylbutenenitriles.

As used herein, the terms “2PN”, “2-pentenenitrile”, and “2-pentenenitriles” include both cis-2-pentenenitrile (cis-2PN) and trans-2-pentenenitrile (trans-2PN), unless otherwise specified. Similarly, the terms “3PN”, “3-pentenenitrile,” and “3-pentenenitriles” include both cis-3-pentenenitrile (cis-3PN) and trans-3-pentenenitrile (trans-3PN), unless otherwise specified. The term “4PN” refers to 4-pentenenitrile.

The ethylenically unsaturated nitriles having five carbon atoms can be prepared by the reaction of hydrogen cyanide (HCN) with 1,3-butadiene (BD). Using transition metal complexes with

monodentate phosphites (for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,496,215; 3,631,191; 3,655,723; and 3,766,237) and zero-valent nickel catalysts with multidentate phosphite ligands (for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,821,378; 5,981,772; 6,020,516; and 6,284,865), the predominant linear pentenenitrile product formed by the hydrocyanation of BD is trans-3PN. As described in the prior art, the branched BD hydrocyanation product, 2-methyl-3-butenenitrile (2M3BN), can be isomerized to predominantly trans-3PN using the same catalyst compositions employed for the hydrocyanation of BD. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,536,748 and 3,676,481. The predominant trans-3PN product from the hydrocyanation of BD and isomerization of 2M3BN can also contain smaller quantities of 4PN, cis-3PN, 2PN, and 2M2BN isomers.

The 2PN useful in the present invention can be made in larger quantities during the hydrocyanation of 3PN and/or 4PN to form ADN, among other dinitriles, from the concurrent isomerization of 3PN to 2PN, as described in the prior art. Separation of an enriched cis-2PN isomer stream by the fractional distillation of mixtures of pentenenitrile isomers, as disclosed in the art, can provide a source of isolated 2PN to be used with the present invention. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,852,327 and 3,564,040. Alternatively, the cis-2PN need not be isolated from mixtures of pentenenitrile isomers. For example, 2PN mixtures comprising 2PN, 3PN, and 4PN may be separated by vacuum distillation from the pentenenitrile hydrocyanation reaction product comprising unreacted pentenenitriles, ADN, and other six carbon dinitriles, catalyst, and promoter, by methods known in the art. The 2PN mixture, as a distillation column sidestream or overhead make, may then be recycled directly to the pentenenitrile hydrocyanation process. Alternatively, the hydrocyanation reaction process of the present invention may be operated at sufficiently high conversion of pentenenitriles to enable the pentenenitrile hydrocyanation reaction product, comprising unreacted pentenenitriles, ADN, and other six carbon dinitriles, catalyst, and promoter, to be fed directly to liquid-liquid extraction processes as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,936,171, wherein the pentenenitrile to dinitrile molar ratio is from about 0.01 to about 2.5. 2PN Mixtures comprising 2PN, 3PN, and 4PN, recovered for example by distillation of an extract, a raffinate, or extract and raffinate phases of these liquid-liquid extraction processes may also be recycled to the pentenenitrile hydrocyanation process of the present invention.

The hydrocyanation process to produce ADN and other dinitriles having six carbon atoms is performed in the presence of at least one Lewis acid and using a catalyst precursor composition comprising a zero-valent nickel and at least one bidentate phosphite ligand, wherein the bidentate phosphite ligand is selected from a member of the group represented by Formulas I and II, in which all like reference characters have the same meaning, except as further explicitly limited:

wherein

each R¹ is independently selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, and primary hydrocarbyl of 3 to 6 carbon atoms;

each R² is independently selected from the group consisting of primary and secondary hydrocarbyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms; and

each R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R²¹, R²², and R²³ is independently selected from the group consisting of H, aryl, and a primary, secondary, or tertiary hydrocarbyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms.

It will be recognized that Formula I and Formula II are two-dimensional representations of three-dimensional molecules and that rotation about chemical bonds can occur in the molecules to give configurations differing from those shown. For example, rotation about the carbon-carbon bond between the 2- and 2′-positions of the biphenyl and octahydrobinaphthyl bridging groups of Formula I and Formula II, respectively, can bring the two phosphorus atoms of each Formula in closer proximity to one another and can allow the phosphite ligand to bind to a single nickel atom in a bidentate fashion. The term “bidentate” is well known in the art and means both phosphorus atoms of the ligand are bonded to a single nickel atom.

The term “hydrocarbyl” is well known in the art and designates a hydrocarbon molecule from which at least one hydrogen atom has been removed. Such molecules can contain single, double, or triple bonds.

The term “aryl” is well known in the art and designates an aromatic hydrocarbon molecule from which at least one hydrogen atom has been removed.

Examples of suitable aryl groups include those containing 6 to 10 carbon atoms, which can be unsubstituted or singly or multiply substituted. Suitable substituents include, for example, C₁-C₄ hydrocarbyl, or halogen such as fluorine, chlorine or bromine, or halogenated hydrocarbyl such a trifluoromethyl, or aryl such as phenyl.

Each catalyst precursor composition useful in the present invention may be considered a “precursor” composition in that the zero-valent nickel at some point becomes bound to a bidentate phosphite ligand, and further in all likelihood, additional reactions occur during hydrocyanation, such as, for example, complexing of the initial catalyst composition to an ethylenically unsaturated compound.

As used herein, the term “catalyst precursor composition” also includes within its meaning recycled catalyst, that is, a catalyst precursor composition comprising a zero-valent nickel and at least one bidentate phosphite ligand which, having been used in the process of the invention, is returned or may be returned to the process and used again.

The catalyst precursor composition may further comprise at least one monodentate phosphite ligand, provided that the monodentate phosphite ligand does not detract from the beneficial aspects of the invention. The monodentate phosphite ligand may be present as an impurity from synthesis of the bidentate phosphite ligand, or the monodentate phosphite ligand may be added as an additional component of the catalyst precursor composition.

The catalyst precursor composition may further comprise at least one Lewis acid promoter.

The bidentate phosphite ligand is selected from a member of the group represented by Formulas I and II, in which all like reference characters have the same meaning, except as further explicitly limited:

wherein

each R¹ is independently selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, and primary hydrocarbyl of 3 to 6 carbon atoms;

each R² is independently selected from the group consisting of primary and secondary hydrocarbyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms; and

each R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R²¹, R²², and R²³ is independently selected from the group consisting of H, aryl, and a primary, secondary, or tertiary hydrocarbyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms. Ligands useful in the catalyst precursor compositions of the present invention are generally described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,171,996 and 5,512,696 and are illustrated above by Formula I and Formula II, as defined above. In one preferred Formula I ligand (Ligand “A” in the Examples of the Invention), each R¹ is methyl, each R² is isopropyl, each R¹¹, R¹², R¹³ and R²¹ is hydrogen, and each R²² and R²³ is methyl. In a second preferred Formula I ligand (Ligand “B” in the Examples), each R¹ is methyl, each R² is isopropyl, each R¹¹, R¹³ and R²¹ is hydrogen, and each R¹², R²² and R²³ is methyl. In one preferred Formula II ligand (Ligand “C” in the Examples), each R¹ is methyl, each R² is isopropyl, and each R¹¹, R¹² and R¹³ is hydrogen.

The synthesis of ligands useful in the catalyst precursor compositions employed in the present invention is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,171,996, which is incorporated herein by reference. For Ligand “A,” for example, the reaction of two equivalents of o-cresol with phosphorus trichloride gives the corresponding phosphorochloridite. The reaction of the phosphorochloridite with 3,3′-di-iso-propyl-5,5′,6,6′-tetra-methyl-2,2′-biphenol in the presence of triethylamine gives Ligand “A.” The crude bidentate phosphite ligand can be worked up by the process described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,069,267, which is incorporated herein by reference. As disclosed therein, the bidentate phosphite ligand product mixture can typically contain the desired product in about 70% to about 90% selectivity, with other phosphite by-products such as monodentate phosphites making up the balance of the product mixture. The bidentate phosphite ligand itself or these bidentate/monodentate phosphite ligand mixtures are suitable for use with the present invention.

The catalyst precursor compositions employed for this process should ideally be substantially free of carbon monoxide, oxygen, and water and may be preformed or prepared in situ according to techniques well known in the art, as also described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,171,996. The catalyst precursor composition may be formed by contacting the bidentate phosphite ligand with a zero-valent nickel compound having ligands easily displace by organophosphite ligands, such as Ni(COD)₂, Ni[P(O-o-C₆H₄CH₃)₃]₃, and Ni[P(O-o-C₆H₄CH₃)₃]₂(C₂H₄), all of which are well known in the art, wherein 1,5-cyclooctadiene (COD), tris(ortho-tolyl)phosphite [P(O-o-C₆H₄CH₃)₃], and ethylene (C₂H₄) are the easily displaced ligands. Elemental nickel, preferably nickel powder, when combined with a halogenated catalyst, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,903,120, is also a suitable source of zero-valent nickel. Alternatively, divalent nickel compounds may be combined with a reducing agent, in the presence of organophosphite ligands, to serve as a source of zero-valent nickel useful in the present invention. Suitable divalent nickel compounds include compounds of the formula NiY₂ where Y is halide, carboxylate or acetylacetonate. Suitable reducing agents include metal borohydrides, metal aluminum hydrides, metal alkyls, Zn, Fe, Al, Na, or H₂. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,893,996. In the catalyst precursor composition, the bidentate phosphite ligand may be present in excess of what can theoretically be coordinated to the nickel at a given time. The nature of the catalyst precursor compositions is such that effective catalysts may be formed at any molar ratio of ligand to nickel, but the preferred range of the molar ratio of ligand to nickel is from about 1/1 to about 4/1.

The pentenenitrile hydrocyanation process performed in the present invention can be carried out in the presence of at least one Lewis acid promoter which affects both the activity and selectivity of the catalyst system. The promoter may be an inorganic or organometallic compound in which the cation is selected from scandium, titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, copper, zinc, boron, aluminum, yttrium, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, cadmium, rhenium, lanthanum, erbium, ytterbium, samarium, tantalum, and tin, as described in the prior art. Examples include, but are not limited to, BPh₃, ZnCl₂, Col₂, SnCl₂, PhAlCl₂, Ph₃Sn(O₃SC₆H₅CH₃) and Cu(O₃SCF₃)₂. Preferred promoters include zinc chloride ZnCl₂, iron(II) chloride FeCl₂, and manganese(II) chloride MnCl₂, and mixtures thereof. U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,884 describes how synergistic combinations of promoters can be chosen to increase the catalytic activity of the catalyst system. The mole ratio of promoter to nickel present in the reaction can, for example, be in the range of about 0.1/1 to about 10/1, for example in the range of about 0.5/1 to about 1.2/1.

The catalyst precursor composition may be dissolved in a solvent that is non-reactive toward, and miscible with, the hydrocyanation reaction mixture. Suitable solvents include, for example, aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons with 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and nitrile solvents such as acetonitrile. Alternatively, 3PN, a mixture of isomeric pentenenitriles, a mixture of isomeric methylbutenenitriles, a mixture of isomeric pentenenitriles and isomeric methylbutenenitriles, or the reaction product from a previous reaction campaign, may be used to dissolve the catalyst precursor composition.

To maximize pentenenitrile hydrocyanation rates while minimizing catalyst consumption through active nickel oxidation by HCN, the hydrocyanation reaction of the present invention should be performed in reactor systems providing efficient mass transfer of pentenenitriles, HCN, and catalyst and efficient removal of the heat of reaction. Such reactor systems are known in the art. The hydrocyanation reaction of the present invention can, in at least one embodiment, be effectively practiced in a continuous stirred tank reactor in which the reactor product is back-mixed well with the reaction mixture. In such a reactor system, the kinetics of the hydrocyanation reaction may be expected to be primarily governed by the reactor product composition. In another suitable embodiment, the hydrocyanation reaction of the present invention can be practiced in the reactor system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,382,038. In this reactor system, the primary reaction zone comprises a plurality of stages in series with the product from one stage continuously directed to a subsequent stage and the HCN added to each stage. The effluent from the primary reaction zone, comprising zero-valent nickel catalyst, unreacted pentenenitriles, unreacted HCN, and the dinitrile products is then sent to a secondary reaction zone where its temperature can be controlled and where no HCN is added to the effluent.

The continuous hydrocyanation reaction can, for example, be conducted between about 20° C. to about 90° C., for example in the range of about 35° C. to about 70° C.

While atmospheric pressure is satisfactory for carrying out the present invention, higher and lower pressures can be used. In this regard, pressures of from about 0.5 to about 10 atmospheres (about 50.7 to about 1013 kPa), for example, may be used. Higher pressures, up to 20,000 kPa or more, may be used, if desired, but any benefit that may be obtained thereby may not be justified in view of the increased cost of such operations.

HCN, substantially free of carbon monoxide, oxygen, ammonia, and water can be introduced to the reaction as a vapor, liquid, or mixtures thereof. As an alternative, a cyanohydrin can be used as the source of HCN. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,655,723.

The overall feed molar ratio of HCN to zero-valent nickel may, for example, be in the range of about 100/1 to about 3000/1, for example in the range of about 300/1 to about 2000/1. At reactor startup, the reaction vessel may be partially charged, for example, with either a solution of a catalyst precursor composition in substrate pentenenitriles or the reactor product from a previous reaction campaign, followed by the initiation of all reactor feeds. Continuous reactor product removal may begin upon establishing the desired fluid levels within the reaction vessel. The unreacted pentenenitriles, ADN and other six carbon dinitrile reaction products and components of the catalyst precursor composition can be recovered by conventional techniques known in the art, such as, for example, by liquid-liquid extraction as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,936,171, and by distillation.

At least one potential advantage of using the catalyst precursor compositions described above for the hydrocyanation of ethylenically unsaturated nitrites with reduced yield losses from the concurrent isomerization of 3PN to 2PN may be realized when the ratio of the concentration of 2PN to the concentration of 3PN in the reaction mixture is maintained from about 0.2/1 to about 10/1. Control of the ratio of the concentration of 2PN to the concentration of 3PN in the reaction mixture in this range can be established by controlling X, the overall feed molar ratio of 2PN to all unsaturated nitrites, by selecting a value for X in the range from about 0.001 to about 0.5, and controlling Z, the overall feed molar ratio of HCN to all unsaturated nitriles, by selecting a value for Z in the range from about 0.5 to about 0.99, such that the value of quotient Q, wherein

$Q = \frac{X}{\left. \mspace{79mu}{\left\lbrack {{\left( {{{moles}\mspace{14mu} 3{PN}} + {4{PN}\mspace{14mu}{in}\mspace{14mu}{the}\mspace{14mu}{feed}}} \right)/\mspace{11mu}{moles}}\mspace{14mu}{all}\mspace{14mu}{unsaturated}\mspace{14mu}{nitriles}\mspace{14mu}{in}\mspace{14mu}{the}\mspace{14mu}{feed}} \right) - Z} \right\rbrack\mspace{11mu}}$ is in the range from about 0.2 to about 10, wherein 3PN is 3-pentenenitriles and 4PN is 4-pentenenitrile. Similarly, reduced yield losses from the concurrent isomerization of 3PN to 2PN may be realized when the ratio of the concentration of 2PN to the concentration of 3PN in the reaction mixture is maintained from about 1/1 to about 5/1. Control of this ratio in this range can be established by controlling X and Z by selecting a value for X in the range from about 0.01 to about 0.25, and by selecting a value for Z in the range from about 0.70 to about 0.99, such that Q is in the range from about 1 to about 5.

While not limited to any particular method, establishing the overall feed molar ratio of 2PN to all unsaturated nitrites may be accomplished by at least two different methods and/or combinations thereof. For example, the overall feed molar ratio of 2PN to all unsaturated nitrites can be controlled by addition of 2PN produced in an independent process or by direct recycle of the 2PN from the reaction product mixture within the process. The first method involves obtaining 2PN produced by a different process or prepared in a separate manufacturing facility. The desired feed molar ratio may then be achieved by blending the 2PN thus obtained with the other substrate pentenenitrile isomers in the appropriate proportions. Alternatively, the 2PN can originate from a pentenenitrile hydrocyanation process. For example, the 2PN in the reactor product of the present invention may be physically separated, along with the other unreacted unsaturated nitrites, from the dinitrile product and catalyst, for example, by vacuum distillation. The recovered 2PN may be recycled and blended with the other substrate pentenenitrile isomers in the appropriate proportions to constitute a feed to the reaction of the present invention with the desired molar ratios. The 2PN can be substantially free of other nitrites, or the 2PN can be present in a process stream which comprises additional nitrites.

Embodiments falling within the scope of the present invention may be further understood in view of the following non-limiting examples.

EXAMPLES

Ligand “A” of Example 1 may be prepared by any suitable synthetic means known in the art. For example, 3,3′-diisopropyl-5,5′,6,6′-tetramethyl-2,2′-biphenol can be prepared by the procedure disclosed in United States Published Patent Application No. 2003/0100802, which is incorporated herein by reference, in which 4-methylthymol can undergo oxidative coupling to the substituted biphenol in the presence of a copper chlorohydroxide-TMEDA complex (TMEDA is N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine) and air.

The phosphorochloridite of o-cresol, (C₇H₇O)₂PCl, can be prepared, for example, by the procedure disclosed in United States Published Patent Application No. 2004/0106815, which is incorporated herein by reference. To selectively form this phosphorochloridite, anhydrous triethylamine and o-cresol can be added separately and concurrently in a controlled manner to PCl₃ dissolved in an appropriate solvent under temperature-controlled conditions.

The reaction of this phosphorochloridite with the 3,3′-diisopropyl-5,5′,6,6′-tetramethyl-2,2′-biphenol to form the desired Ligand “A” can be performed, for example, according to the method disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,069,267, which is hereby incorporated by reference. The phosphorochloridite can be reacted with 3,3′-diisopropyl-5,5′,6,6′-tetramethyl-2,2′-biphenol in the presence of an organic base to form Ligand “A”, which can be isolated according to techniques well known in the art, as also described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,069,267. The monodentate phosphite impurities in Ligand “A” prepared by this method would have the following structures.

Likewise, Ligand “B” can be prepared from 3,3′-diisopropyl-5,5′,6,6′-tetramethyl-2,2′-biphenol and the phosphorochloridite of 2,4-xylenol, ((C₈H₉O)₂PCl. The monodentate phosphite impurities in Ligand “B” prepared by this method would have the following structures.

Likewise, Ligand “C” can be prepared from 3,3′-diisopropyl-5,5′,6,6′,7,7′,8,8′-octahydro-2,2′-binaphthol, prepared by the method described in United States Patent Application No. 2003/0100803, and the phosphorochloridite of o-cresol, (C₇H₇O)₂PCl. The monodentate phosphite impurities in Ligand “C” prepared by this method would have the following structures.

In the following examples, unless stated otherwise, all operations were carried out under a nitrogen atmosphere using a drybox or standard Schlenk techniques. Examples of the inventive continuous hydrocyanation process have been performed in a single-stage 18-mL glass continuous stirred-tank reactor (CSTR), the general design of which has been described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,371,474, 4,705,881, and 4,874,884, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. The reactor consisted of a crimp-baffled round bottomed glass vessel, jacketed to allow controlling the temperature of the reaction mixture with fluid flow from an external, controlled, fluid-heating temperature bath. All reagents were introduced into the reaction vessel via syringe pumps, through sidearms fitted with rubber septa. The reactor was fitted with an overflow arm through which the reaction product flowed by gravity into a product receiver. Agitation and mixing of the reaction mixture was provided by magnetic stirring. A small nitrogen purge was constantly applied to the vapor space of the reactor to maintain an inert atmosphere.

The trans-3PN (95 wt %) and cis-2PN (98 wt %) utilized in the hydrocyanation experiments described below originated from a commercial ADN plant that hydrocyanates BD and pentenenitriles. Trans-3PN and cis-2PN produced from a BD and pentenenitrile hydrocyanation process may also be obtained commercially from the Sigma-Aldrich Chemical Company. Each pentenenitrile was distilled under a nitrogen atmosphere then stored in a nitrogen-filled drybox.

The anhydrous, uninhibited HCN feed to the reactor was delivered as a pentenenitrile (PN) solution (40% HCN by weight). The composition of the PN's used to make the feed solutions was determined by the desired PN feed composition to the reactor. The amount of methylbutenenitriles in the pentenenitrile feed solutions was negligible. The ligand-Ni catalyst precursor composition was synthesized by the reaction of Ni(COD)₂ with a slight excess of the corresponding bidentate phosphite ligand (approximately 1.2 to 1.4 molar equivalents/nickel) in toluene solvent at ambient temperatures, as generally described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,120,700. After removal of the toluene solvent and volatile materials under vacuum, a corresponding quantity of anhydrous Lewis acid promoter was added to the solid residue of the ligand-Ni catalyst precursor composition, and the entire mixture was dissolved in a corresponding mixture of pentenenitriles. The resulting pentenenitrile solution comprising catalyst precursor composition and promoter was thus fed to the reactor as described below.

At startup, the reaction vessel was charged with about 9 mL of the pentenenitrile solution comprising catalyst precursor composition and promoter. The continuous hydrocyanation reaction was then initiated by turning on the feed of both the pentenenitrile solution comprising precursor composition and promoter and the HCN solution. Periodic samples of the reactor product flowing to the receiver were analyzed by gas chromatographic (GC) analysis to determine nitrile product compositions used in calculating reactor conversions and yields.

DEFINITIONS

PN's=all pentenenitrile isomers of empirical formula C₅H₇N, including all methylbutenenitrile isomers of empirical formula C₅H₇N

2PN=cis- and trans-2-pentenenitriles

3PN=cis- and trans-3-pentenenitriles

4PN=4-pentenenitrile

DN's=all dinitrile isomers of empirical formula C₆H₈N₂ (includes ADN, MGN and ESN)

ADN=adiponitrile

MGN=2-methylglutaronitrile

ESN=ethylsuccinonitrile

g/hr=gram/hour

conversion=moles reacted/moles fed

yield=moles produced/moles (3PN+4PN) reacted

mol % DN's=molar fraction DN's/(PN's+DN's) in reactor product

mol % 2PN feed=molar fraction 2PN/(PN's+DN's) in reactor feed

mol % 2PN product=molar fraction 2PN/(PN's+DN's) in reactor product

mol % 3PN product=molar fraction 3PN/(PN's+DN's) in reactor product

linearity=moles ADN/moles (ADN+MGN+ESN) produced

Example 1

The inventive continuous hydrocyanation process was demonstrated using Ligand “A,” shown below, and FeCl₂ as the Lewis acid promoter.

Target reaction rate=1.6×10⁻⁴ moles HCN/liter-second Temperature=50° C. mol % 2PN feed=12.8% The target feed rates of the reaction components were as follows.

Reagent Feed Rate, g/hr HCN^(a) 0.29 3,4PN (3PN + 4PN) 1.01 2PN 0.15 Ni catalyst, calculated as Ni metal 0.0010 Total Ligand^(b) 0.029 FeCl₂ promoter 0.0015 Notes: ^(a)HCN excluding PN solvent. ^(b)Mixture of Ligand “A” and corresponding monodentate phosphites as described above.

The overall feed molar ratio of 2PN to all unsaturated nitriles was about 0.13 and the overall feed molar ratio of HCN to all unsaturated nitriles was about 0.75.

The averaged GC analyses of reactor product samples taken from 92 to 100 hours from the inception of continuous flow indicated the following steady-state results.

3,4PN Conversion   86% mol % DN's 73.6% mol % 2PN product 14.0% mol % 3PN product 11.8% 2PN Yield  1.5% Linearity 94.2% ADN Yield 92.8%

The ratio of the concentration of 2PN to the concentration of 3PN in the reaction mixture was about 1.2.

Example 2

The inventive continuous hydrocyanation process was demonstrated using Ligand “A” and ZnCl₂ as the Lewis acid promoter.

Target reaction rate=1.6×10⁻⁴ moles HCN/liter-second

Temperature=50° C.

mol % 2PN feed=20.6%

The target feed rates of the reaction components were as follows.

Reagent Feed Rate, g/hr HCN^(a) 0.29 3,4PN (3PN + 4PN) 0.94 2PN 0.25 Ni catalyst, calculated as Ni metal 0.0013 Total Ligand^(b) 0.027 ZnCl₂ promoter 0.0020 Notes: ^(a)HCN excluding PN solvent. ^(b)Mixture of Ligand “A” and corresponding monodentate phosphites as described above.

The overall feed molar ratio of 2PN to all unsaturated nitrites was about 0.21 and the overall feed molar ratio of HCN to all unsaturated nitriles was about 0.70.

The averaged GC analyses of reactor product samples taken from 49 to 53 hours from the inception of continuous flow indicated the following steady-state results.

3,4PN Conversion 90.7% mol % DN's 71.9% mol % 2PN product 20.3% mol % 3PN product 7.2% 2PN Yield 0.0% Linearity 95.0% ADN Yield 95.0%

The ratio of the concentration of 2PN to the concentration of 3PN in the reaction mixture was about 2.8.

Comparative Example A

The following is a comparative example of a continuous hydrocyanation reaction using Ligand “A” and ZnCl₂ as promoter without the addition of 2PN to the reactor feed.

Target reaction rate=2.3×10⁻⁴ moles HCN/liter-second

Temperature=50° C.

mol % 2PN feed=0.1%^(c)

The target feed rates of the reaction components were as follows.

Reagent Feed Rate, g/hr HCN^(a) 0.38 3,4PN (3PN + 4PN) 1.63 2PN 0.0016 Ni catalyst, calculated as Ni metal 0.0018 Total Ligand^(b) 0.045 ZnCl₂ promoter 0.0048 Notes: ^(a)HCN excluding PN solvent. ^(b)Mixture of Ligand “A” and corresponding monodentate phosphites as described above. ^(c)2PN impurity n the 3PN feed material.

The overall feed molar ratio of 2PN to all unsaturated nitrites was about 0.001 and the overall feed molar ratio of HCN to all unsaturated nitriles was about 0.70.

The averaged GC analyses of reactor product samples taken from 46 to 54 hours from the inception of continuous flow indicated the following steady-state results.

3,4PN Conversion 71.1% mol % DN's 68.7% mol % 2PN product 2.1% mol % 3PN product 28.0% 2PN Yield 2.5% Linearity 94.9% ADN Yield 92.5%

The ratio of the concentration of 2PN to the concentration of 3PN in the reaction mixture was about 0.08.

Example 3

The inventive continuous hydrocyanation process was demonstrated using Ligand “B,” shown below, and FeCl₂ as the Lewis acid promoter.

Target reaction rate=1.6×10⁻⁴ moles HCN/liter-second Temperature=50° C. mol % 2PN feed=15.4% The target feed rates of the reaction components were as follows.

Reagent Feed Rate, g/hr HCN^(a) 0.29 3,4PN (3PN + 4PN) 0.95 2PN 0.175 Ni catalyst, calculated as Ni metal 0.0013 Total Ligand^(b) 0.029 FeCl₂ promoter 0.0019 Notes: ^(a)HCN excluding PN solvent. ^(b)Mixture of Ligand “B” and corresponding monodentate phosphites as described above.

The overall feed molar ratio of 2PN to all unsaturated nitrites was about 0.15 and the overall feed molar ratio of HCN to all unsaturated nitrites was about 0.80.

The averaged GC analyses of reactor product samples taken from 69 to 78 hours from the inception of continuous flow indicated the following steady-state results.

3,4PN Conversion 92.3% mol % DN's 77.4% mol % 2PN product 15.6% mol % 3PN product 6.4% 2PN Yield 0.3% Linearity 94.7% ADN Yield 94.4%

The ratio of the concentration of 2PN to the concentration of 3PN in the reaction mixture was about 2.4.

Example 4

The inventive continuous hydrocyanation process was demonstrated using Ligand “B” and ZnCl₂ as the Lewis acid promoter.

Target reaction rate=1.6×10⁻⁴ moles HCN/liter-second

Temperature=50° C.

mol % 2PN feed=14.9%

The target feed rates of the reaction components were as follows.

Reagent Feed Rate, g/hr HCN^(a) 0.29 3,4PN (3PN + 4PN) 0.96 2PN 0.17 Ni catalyst, calculated as Ni metal 0.0013 Total Ligand^(b) 0.029 ZnCl₂ promoter 0.0020 Notes: ^(a)HCN excluding PN solvent. ^(b)Mixture of Ligand “B” and corresponding monodentate phosphites as described above.

The overall feed molar ratio of 2PN to all unsaturated nitrites was about 0.15 and the overall feed molar ratio of HCN to all unsaturated nitriles was about 0.77.

The averaged GC analyses of reactor product samples taken from 66 to 73 hours from the inception of continuous flow indicated the following steady-state results.

3,4PN Conversion 90.7% mol % DN's 76.2% mol % 2PN product 15.5% mol % 3PN product 7.7% 2PN Yield 0.7% Linearity 95.4% ADN Yield 94.7%

The ratio of the concentration of 2PN to the concentration of 3PN in the reaction mixture was about 2.0.

Comparative Example B

The following is a comparative example of a continuous hydrocyanation reaction using Ligand “B” and ZnCl₂ as promoter without the addition of 2PN to the reactor feed.

Target reaction rate=2.3×10⁻⁴ moles HCN/liter-second

Temperature=50° C.

mol % 2PN feed=0.3%^(c)

The target feed rates of the reaction components were as follows.

Reagent Feed Rate, g/hr HCN^(a) 0.38 3,4PN (3PN + 4PN) 1.63 2PN 0.0049 Ni catalyst, calculated as Ni metal 0.0018 Total Ligand^(b) 0.049 ZnCl₂ promoter 0.0048 Notes: ^(a)HCN excluding PN solvent. ^(b)Mixture of Ligand “B” and corresponding monodentate phosphites described above. ^(c)2PN impurity in the 3PN feed material.

The overall feed molar ratio of 2PN to all unsaturated nitriles was about 0.003 and the overall feed molar ratio of HCN to all unsaturated nitrites was about 0.70.

The averaged GC analyses of reactor product samples taken from 45 to 48 hours from the inception of continuous flow indicated the following steady-state results.

3,4PN Conversion 73.9% mol % DN's 71.5% mol % 2PN product 2.1% mol % 3PN product 25.2% 2PN Yield 2.5% Linearity 95.4% ADN Yield 93.0%

The ratio of the concentration of 2PN to the concentration of 3PN in the reaction mixture was about 0.08.

Example 5

The inventive continuous hydrocyanation process was demonstrated using Ligand “C,” shown below, and ZnCl₂ as the Lewis acid promoter.

Target reaction rate=1.6×10⁻⁴ moles HCN/liter-second Temperature=50° C. mol % 2PN feed=20.4% The target feed rates of the reaction components were as follows.

Reagent Feed Rate, g/hr HCN^(a) 0.29 3,4PN (3PN + 4PN) 0.94 2PN 0.24 Ni catalyst, calculated as Ni metal 0.0013 Total Ligand^(b) 0.029 ZnCl₂ promoter 0.0020 Notes: ^(a)HCN excluding PN solvent. ^(b)Mixture of Ligand “C” and corresponding monodentate phosphites as described above.

The overall feed molar ratio of 2PN to all unsaturated nitrites was about 0.20 and the overall feed molar ratio of HCN to all unsaturated nitrites was about 0.73.

The averaged GC analyses of reactor product samples taken from 71 to 79 hours from the inception of continuous flow indicated the following steady-state results.

3,4PN Conversion 90.0% mol % DN's 70.4% mol % 2PN product 21.1% mol % 3PN product 7.9% 2PN Yield 1.0% Linearity 95.0% ADN Yield 94.1%

The ratio of the concentration of 2PN to the concentration of 3PN in the reaction mixture was about 2.7.

Comparative Example C

The following is a comparative example of a continuous hydrocyanation reaction using Ligand “C” and ZnCl₂ as promoter without the addition of 2PN to the reactor feed.

Target reaction rate=2.3×10⁻⁴ moles HCN/liter-second

Temperature=50° C.

mol % 2PN feed=0.4%^(c)

The target feed rates of the reaction components were as follows.

Reagent Feed Rate, g/hr HCN^(a) 0.40 3,4PN (3PN + 4PN) 1.70 2PN 0.0068 Ni catalyst, calculated as Ni metal 0.0019 Total Ligand^(b) 0.051 ZnCl₂ promoter 0.0050 Notes: ^(a)HCN excluding PN solvent. ^(b)Mixture of Ligand “C” and corresponding monodentate phosphites as described above. ^(c)2PN impurity in the 3PN feed material.

The overall feed molar ratio of 2PN to all unsaturated nitrites was about 0.004 and the overall feed molar ratio of HCN to all unsaturated nitrites was about 0.70.

The averaged GC analyses of reactor product samples taken from 48 to 53 hours from the inception of continuous flow indicated the following steady-state results.

3,4PN Conversion 72.6% mol % DNs 70.3% mol % 2PN product 2.1% mol % 3PN product 26.6% 2PN Yield 2.4% Linearity 94.9% ADN Yield 92.6%

The ratio of the concentration of 2PN to the concentration of 3PN in the reaction mixture was about 0.08.

Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been described in the foregoing description, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the invention is capable of numerous modifications, substitutions and rearrangements without departing from the spirit or essential attributes of the invention. Reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification, as indicating the scope of the invention. 

1. A hydrocyanation process to produce adiponitrile and other dinitriles having six carbon atoms, the process comprising: a) forming a reaction mixture in the presence of at least one Lewis acid, said reaction mixture comprising ethylenically unsaturated nitriles having five carbon atoms, hydrogen cyanide, and a catalyst precursor composition, by continuously feeding the ethylenically unsaturated nitriles, the hydrogen cyanide, and the catalyst precursor composition; b) controlling X and Z, wherein X is the overall feed molar ratio of 2-pentenenitriles to all unsaturated nitriles; and Z is the overall feed molar ratio of hydrogen cyanide to all unsaturated nitriles; by selecting a value for X in the range of about 0.001 to about 0.5; and a value for Z in the range of about 0.5 to about 0.99; such that the value of quotient Q, wherein $Q = \frac{X}{\left. \mspace{79mu}{\left\lbrack {{\left( {{{moles}\mspace{14mu} 3{PN}} + {4{PN}\mspace{14mu}{in}\mspace{14mu}{the}\mspace{14mu}{feed}}} \right)/\mspace{11mu}{moles}}\mspace{14mu}{all}\mspace{14mu}{unsaturated}\mspace{14mu}{nitriles}\mspace{14mu}{in}\mspace{14mu}{the}\mspace{14mu}{feed}} \right) - Z} \right\rbrack\mspace{11mu}}$ is in the range from about 0.2 to about 10, wherein 3PN is 3-pentenenitriles and 4PN is 4-pentenenitrile; and c) withdrawing a reaction product mixture comprising adiponitrile; wherein the ratio of the concentration of 2-pentenenitriles to the concentration of 3-pentenenitriles in the reaction mixture is in the range from about 0.2/1 to about 10/1; wherein the catalyst precursor composition comprises a zero-valent nickel and at least one bidentate phosphite ligand; and wherein the bidentate phosphite ligand is selected from a member of the group represented by Formulas I and II, in which all like reference characters have the same meaning, except as further explicitly limited:

wherein each R¹ is independently selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, and primary hydrocarbyl of 3 to 6 carbon atoms; each R² is independently selected from the group consisting of primary and secondary hydrocarbyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms; and each R¹¹, R¹², R¹³, R²¹, R²², and R²³ is independently selected from the group consisting of H, aryl, and a primary, secondary, or tertiary hydrocarbyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms.
 2. The process of claim 1, wherein the selected value for X is in the range from about 0.01 to about 0.25 and the selected value for Z is in the range from about 0.70 to about 0.99; and wherein the value of Q is in the range from about 1 to about 5; and wherein the ratio of the concentration of 2-pentenenitriles to the concentration of 3-pentenenitriles in the reaction mixture is in the range from about 1/1 to about 5/1.
 3. The process of claim 2 wherein at least one bidentate phosphite ligand is selected from a member of the group consisting of: the compound represented by Formula I where each R¹=methyl, each R²=iso-propyl, each R¹¹═H, each R¹²═H, each R¹³═H, each R²¹═H, each R²²=methyl, and each R²³=methyl; the compound represented by Formula I where each R¹=methyl, each R²=iso-propyl, each R¹¹═H, each R¹²=methyl, each R¹³═H, each R²¹═H, each R²²=methyl, and each R²³=methyl; the compound represented by Formula I where each R¹=methyl, each R²=iso-propyl, each R¹¹═H, each R¹²═H, each R¹³=methyl each R²¹═H, each R²²=methyl, and each R²³=methyl; the compound represented by Formula II where each R¹=methyl, each R²=iso-propyl, each R¹¹═H, each R¹²═H, and each R¹³═H; the compound represented by Formula II where each R¹=methyl, each R²=iso-propyl, each R¹¹═H, each R¹²=methyl, and each R¹³═H; the compound represented by Formula II where each R¹=methyl, each R²=iso-propyl, each R¹¹═H, each R¹²═H, and each R¹³=methyl; the compound represented by Formula I where each R¹=methyl, each R²=methyl, each R¹¹═H, each R¹²H, each R¹³═H, each R²¹═H, each R²²=methyl, and each R²³=methyl; the compound represented by Formula I where each R¹=methyl, each R²=methyl, each R¹¹═H, each R¹²=methyl, each R¹³═H, each R²¹═H, each R²²=methyl, and each R²³ methyl; the compound represented by Formula I where each R¹=methyl each R²=methyl, each R¹¹═H, each R¹²═H, each R¹³=methyl, each R²¹═H, each R²²=methyl, and each R²³=methyl; the compound represented by Formula I where each R¹=methyl, each R²=methyl, each R¹¹═H, each R¹²═H, each R¹³═H, each R²¹=methyl, each R²²=methyl, and each R²³=methyl; the compound represented by Formula I where each R¹=methyl, each R²=methyl, each R¹¹═H, each R¹²=methyl, each R¹³═H, each R²¹ methyl, each R²² methyl, and each R²³=methyl; the compound represented by Formula I where each R¹=methyl, each R²=methyl, each R¹¹═H, each R¹²═H, each R¹³=methyl, each R²¹=methyl, each R²²=methyl, and each R²³=methyl; the compound represented by Formula II where each R¹=methyl, each R²=cyclopentyl, each R¹¹═H, each R¹²═H, and each R¹³═H; the compound represented by Formula II where each R¹=methyl, each R²=cyclopentyl, each R¹¹═H, each R¹²=methyl, and each R¹³═H; the compound represented by Formula II where each R¹=methyl, each R²=cyclopentyl, each R¹¹═H, each R¹²═H, and each R¹³=methyl; the compound represented by Formula I where each R¹=ethyl, each R²=iso-propyl, each R¹¹═H, each R¹²═H, each R¹³═H each R²¹═H, each R²²=methyl, and each R²³=methyl; and the compound represented by Formula I where each R¹=methyl, each R²=iso-propyl, each R¹¹═H, each R¹²=tert-butyl, each R¹³═H each R²¹═H, each R²²=methyl, and each R²³=methyl.
 4. The process of claim 2 wherein at least one bidentate phosphite ligand is selected from a member of the group consisting of: the compound represented by Formula I where each R¹=methyl, each R²=iso-propyl, each R¹¹═H, each R¹²═H, each R¹³═H, each R²¹═H, each R²²=methyl, and each R²³=methyl; the compound represented by Formula I where each R¹=methyl, each R²=iso-propyl, each R¹¹═H, each R¹²=methyl, each R¹³═H each R²¹═H, each R²²=methyl, and each R²³=methyl; and the compound represented by Formula II where each R¹=methyl, each R²=iso-propyl, each R¹¹═H, each R¹²═H, and each R¹³═H.
 5. The process of claim 1 wherein the overall feed molar ratio of 2-pentenenitriles to all unsaturated nitriles is controlled by addition of 2-pentenenitriles produced in an independent process or by direct recycle of the 2-pentenenitriles from the reaction product mixture within the process.
 6. The process of claim 1 wherein the Lewis acid promoter comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of zinc chloride, iron (II) chloride, manganese (II) chloride, and mixtures thereof.
 7. The process of claim 3 wherein the reaction mixture is maintained at a temperature of from about 20° C. to about 90° C.
 8. The process of claim 1 wherein the reaction mixture is maintained at a temperature of from about 35° C. to about 70° C.
 9. The process of claim 1 wherein the 2-pentenenitriles originate from a pentenenitrile hydrocyanation process.
 10. The process of claim 1 wherein the 3-pentenenitriles originate from a 1,3-butadiene hydrocyanation process.
 11. The process of claim 1 wherein the catalyst precursor composition further comprises at least one monodentate phosphite ligand.
 12. The process according to claim 1 wherein the reaction product mixture has pentenenitrile to dinitrile molar ratio from about 0.01 to about 2.5, and wherein said reaction product mixture is fed to a liquid-liquid extraction process.
 13. The process of claim 1 wherein the 2-pentenenitriles originate from distillation of an extract, a raffinate, or extract and raffinate phases of a liquid-liquid extraction process.
 14. The process of claim 1 wherein the bidentate phosphite ligand is a ligand of Formula II. 